which is the better option: regular soda (with high fructose corn syrup) or diet soda (aspartame)?

I am not a big soda junkie but every once and awhile I really crave one. If I can I try to go to the health food store and at least get one with real sugar, but that's not always an option. Or sometimes I'm out to eat somewhere and I'm limited in my choices. I usually try to go the club soda route there, but last week DH and I went out for wings and he had a beer and to console myself I got a root beer

If I am out at a resturant or somewhere else and want a pop (which is like 2x a year!!!) I usually get whatever I am wanting...to be perfectly honest. Usually some kind of spritzer like half cranberry juice half sprite or half apple juice half gingerale. I keep on hand some rw knudsen fruit spritzers (I don't really like cola sodas anyway) and will take those when we go out to picnics or parties.

To satisfy that kind of want, I usually drink something like the Izze drinks - it's carbonated water and fruit juice, sweetened just with fruit juice. Still a bunch of calories, but no HFCS, sugar, aspartame, etc.

Diet soda tastes super-funky to me even under the best of circumstances,so I'd go with the HFCS and not look back.

(I'm sure I've consumed my share of HFCS this pregnancy anyway. I try to avoid it in packaged goods, but then I get a huge craving for chocolate-peanut butter ice cream...NO *not* peanut butter ice cream with chocolate in it, but chocolate ice cream with peanut butter in it, there is a difference dammit and the only stuff they sell at the natural food co-op is the peanut butter ice cream with chocolate in it so I go to the regular store...sigh.)

To satisfy that kind of want, I usually drink something like the Izze drinks - it's carbonated water and fruit juice, sweetened just with fruit juice. Still a bunch of calories, but no HFCS, sugar, aspartame, etc.

I love Hansen's cherry vanilla. I think I will ask someone to bring me some. hehe

I think Jones Soda is also real sugar.

I have had some soda, but I try to avoid diet. Occasionally I do use those lemonade packets you put in water just because I get so sick of drinking water when I am at school. Sugar just doesn't dissolve and I love lemonade. I'm really not a big soda drinker so I don't think my occasional slip-up will hurt too bad. I hope! (I've been craving root beer a lot)

Right now as I type I'm drinking a Zevia Natural Diet Soda, which I bought because I wanted a soda (unusual for me). It's made with Triple carbonated water, stevia leaf and orange oil. Does not mess with blood sugar and it tastes good! They have several flavors.

That is my ultimate soda craving, and they are "natural". But since most restaurants don't carry them, I'd go with a non-caffeinated, non-diet, like Sprite or Root Beer, or even orange soda if I were willing to brave the artificial colors.

But at a nice restaurant with a bar, I'd go for an Italian soda . . . yum.

Mmmm, and I second Izze's. Those are good! And they are just fruit juice with soda water.

Occasionally I do use those lemonade packets you put in water just because I get so sick of drinking water when I am at school.

See that's just it, after so much time I just get sooo very tired of water. When non-preggo I pretty much only drink water too, but I have a glass of wine or a beer probably several times a week which kind breaks up the monotony a bit.

I thought HFCS was probably the better route but was just curious what others had to say.

Up here in New England (maybe only Maine, not sure) they have these Fruit Spritzers made by Polar. It's sparkling water with fruit juice. Love them, they are affordable and you can buy them in a regular grocery store... but I think they are discontinuing them because they're down to only 1 flavor at my local store!

DDCC - Well... I know caffeine is a no-no - but right now they have Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper throwback - it's made with real sugar and not HFCS. It's out only for a limited time though.

AFM, soda tastes really odd this time around - too sweet or something - even the sip I had of DH's pepsi throwback tasted weird. But if I had to, I'd go regular soda and not diet all the way - diet is just too odd.

Diet soda tastes super-funky to me even under the best of circumstances,so I'd go with the HFCS and not look back.

(I'm sure I've consumed my share of HFCS this pregnancy anyway. I try to avoid it in packaged goods, but then I get a huge craving for chocolate-peanut butter ice cream...NO *not* peanut butter ice cream with chocolate in it, but chocolate ice cream with peanut butter in it, there is a difference dammit and the only stuff they sell at the natural food co-op is the peanut butter ice cream with chocolate in it so I go to the regular store...sigh.)

I have to choose diet sometimes, though usually I go with water, because I'm allergic to corn. But when my chronic fatigue syndrome has me dragging, and I absolutely must do something outside the house, I've been indulging in a can here or there of the Pepsi or Mtn Dew Throwback. DH just got some Heritage Dr. Pepper, but I haven't tried it yet. We only got a single half-case, because I've heard it tastes like a$$. But I used to love Dr. Pepper, so I'm hoping it doesn't.

I'd pick HFCS! When I had ms really bad a pepsi would settle my tummy so I bought those 100 calorie cans...I felt like at least if I was going to drink something bad for you it was in a smaller amount than a regular serving.

I never drink diet soda. Ever. Besides health issues, I hate the taste.

I buy caffeine free Coke on ocassion, sometimes Mexican Coke, but mostly I've been drinking aboult a liter of San Pellegrino sparkling water a day. Either plain, with lime, or a splash of juice. Thank goodness Costco carries it for an okay price--I love the stuff!

I crave soda when pregnant, though I still only indulge when going out to eat-- usually. And then, yes, it's HFCS for me... (sigh). Fake sugar scares me, and I can really taste the fake-ness. It's just nasty. I unfortunately have to watch DP go through lots of that since he's diabetic, and that's his only choice for anything to be sweetened.

I do very-occasionally buy soda for at home, but then I get cane sugar soda. Hansens or Blue Sky, which I believe is still a Hansens product. I did pick up some throwback Pepsi while it's still out, though I'm not especially enamored with it. I find that hfcs soda tastes less sweet, and therefore more enjoyable, sadly. I wish they'd make cane sugar soda with less sugar! I feel the same about mexican coke, though at least I know where to get that year-round.

YES! I would love a soda option with about half, or less than half the sugar of regular soda. I find regular soda way too sweet. I guess I am the odd one out here, I really don't mind the taste of artificial sweeteners. As far as the evils of fake sugar/sugar, I don't lose any sleep over it, I don't drink enough of either to be worried. Obviously, we all no neither one of them is exactly healthy! I like to cut my soda (diet or regular) in half with sparkling water. I was never a big soda drinker, but I have been craving it this pregancy too .

HUGE cultural difference between Russia and the US/UK.....Russians are not into soda.
You usually see Diet Coke in the big supermarkets but no diet-anything else.
I was buying DH a bottle of Fanta and a women started pointing at it in my basket and shaking her head going (in Russian), 'Chemicals!'
Funny! They LOVE their sugar though....

I just stick with water, sometimes with a slice of orange or lemon and ice. Very occasionally a 'N Tonic' which is a family speciality for Preggers aka Gin and Tonic without the Gin!!!

I am always in the minority around here on this one. But I HATE regular soda. Even a sip of it leaves me feeling gross- gives me a gross taste in my mouth. Much more than that and I get a headache.

I love diet soda, though. I do try to at least get the stuff with splenda in it, but I'm not really convinced it's much better, so sometimes I drink aspartame, too. I just try to not eat other foods with artificial sweeteners, so I'm limiting my (and baby's) exposure to it.

I have actually been drinking more since I've been pregnant because I've been CRAVING it. I never drank caffeine before I was pregnant, either, but I've sort of gotten into the habit of it. I think it started because I was so sleepy all the time, but then I started to crave it.

However, I try to limit myself to one 12 oz soda every couple of days.

mmmmmmm, i am addicted to kombucha. when i was pg with ds and worked at the co-op, i bought it by the case and drank 1-3 of them everyday.

now i make my own and save about $100+/month.

here's a GREAT recipe for the double fermentation method, so you can have that yummy fruit juice flavor that the synnergy organic raw kombucha has. kombucha recipe

oh, and jmo about soda: natural soda is definitely way better than regular, but if i was dying on a desert island and had only reg and diet soda to drink, i would never, EVER touch the diet! the fake sugar is really, really bad for you. also, most people who are drinking diet soda with the thinking that they won't get fat from it, are dead WRONG. the sweet taste of diet tricks your body into thinking it's real sugar, and so not only are you not dong yourself any favors calorie-wise by drinking diet, you are loading your body with some deadly chemicals.